Fix, Craigslist, Fix!

Craigslist has completely taken over the real estate world.

Which is not a bad thing. Necessarily. It does streamline the process a bit.

But it is a bad thing when the "image hosting server" is down. (Translation: Every single picture comes up as a box with a red x in it.)

If A = we are moving to Boston in 5 weeks - and don't have an apartment yet...

And B = I can't find an apartment without seeing the pictures...

Then A + B = Craigslist, Brian and I are moving in with you if you don't get things up and running soon!

A Tale of Two Cities

A tale of two cities in the New York Times recently with two great write ups on New York City and Boston. With about 30 days left in New York, my worlds are colliding.

New York City:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/05/04/travel/04weekend.html

Boston:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/07/18/travel/escapes/18boston.html?ref=travel

Vino-dication at Last!

To all of you snobby New York City waiters and waitresses who've told me that Lambrusco "doesn't exist:"

http://newyork.savorycities.com/wine2.php

Finally, someone (besides me and my father) who acknowledges the amazing properties of the bestwineever. Lambrusco.

It's sweet. It's sparkling. And it's red (for those of you who say white wine isn't "real" wine).

So, take THAT, New York!

The Blanks Do Boston

Brian and I just got back from a long weekend in Boston with near record-breaking heat! We all know how much I love the hot weather. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

We spent Saturday and Sunday looking at probably 10-15 apartments in Cambridge and Somerville as we prepare for our move up there this fall.

There were some winners, some losers, and some "why would you even show us this place? You would NEVER live here!" Gross.

Sorry I forgot my camera this time. But you can use your imagination.

We put our hat in the ring for one great apartment - 2 bed, hardwood, TWO porches, backyard, W/D (In the 10 years since I've lived away from home, I've NEVER had a washer/dryer in my apartment!), great tree-lined street close to the T and one stop from Harvard Square.

BUT - we got there after another couple already put in an application, so we're second in line. Pray that the first couple has a prison record or it's back to Boston for another round of apartment hunting for us.

But, all in all, we had a great time, ate some delicious crab at Legal Seafood, and got a glimpse of what our life in Boston might be like. And we liked what we saw!

Dean....Koontz?

Saw the Jeff Koons exhibit at the Met Museum rooftop Friday.

Too hot. Too crowded. Too long to wait for a cold drink. Anticlimactic.

But the exhibit is pretty cool - and the view is great!

Also saw the "Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy" exhibit. They had the superhero costumes from several movies, including "The Dark Knight," "Superman," "Spiderman," and "Iron Man."

This is definitely a date-worthy exhibit. You can go admire the fashion exhibit and the museum artifacts while your date drools at the original Clark Kent costume. Perfect!

Back to the Old Stomping Grounds...

I've been in D.C. for the past few days, visiting the old stomping grounds (go GWU!) and working on media for World Vision's Youth Empowerment Project this weekend.

It's been great to show B where I went to school - and explore D.C. with him. He's never seen the sites - so we tried to squeeze in as much as we could in two days. A GWU tour, a walk through Georgetown, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, all of the monuments, and the waterfront down by the Potomac.

Travel tip: the best way to see the monuments is at night. No sun, no tourists. Very peaceful.

Here's a shot of me outside my freshman year dorm, the Hall on Virginia Avenue (also known as HOVA).



Brian explores D.C.'s (super clean!) Metro for the first time.



But one of our favorite memories from this weekend is definitely waiting in line for a burger and fries at the new Good Stuff Eatery restaurant down by Eastern Market. If you're a Top Chef fan like me, you'll remember one of this season's contestants, Spike. He just opened his restaurant this week - and it was worth the 45 minute wait in the hot, hot sun (and no shade!) for his best basic meal. Burger. Fries. Milkshake. Yumm.



I had: the Good Stuff melt (melted cheddar and muenster, carmelized onions & mushrooms)

B had: the Big Stuff Bacon Meltdown (bacon, double cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles)

We shared: Spike's Village Fries (handcut fries with rosemary, thyme, and pepper - and four dipping sauces!), a toasted marshmallow milkshake

Rockin' at the Rink Bar

It's famous for its Christmas tree, its ice rink, and its address (30 Rock) - but its margaritas and guacamole?

I never knew the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink turned into a great bar/restaurant when the weather turns from 20 degrees to 90 degrees in the summer. So, I added it to "The List!"

Friday night, B and I headed there to enjoy the sunset and relax after a busy week at work. A little pricey (drinks - $8-10, apps $12-15, yikes!) but worth it for the experience.

My favorite part - staring up at 30 Rock and thinking of Kenneth the Page saying "But I just love television so much!" (You need to start watching that show if you don't already!)

50 CHEAP Reasons to Love New York City

For me, travel + cheap = fun!

So, naturally, when Budget Travel comes out with its "50 Reasons to Love New York City," I had to include it on this blog.

One of my favorites from their list - #3. Chip Off the Old Block - Levain Bakery. These 6 ounces beauties are worth the $3.75! 10 years ago, the New York Times called their cookies "the largest, most divine chocolate chip cookies in Manhattan" - and it's still true!

(Thanks www.dessertbuzz.com for the delicious picture!)

Check out Budget Travel's list - and add some things to your own "List."

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

....Gently down the Hudson!

Despite some internal debate between us about how "clean" the Hudson River was (just in case we happened to flip that kayak!), we marched right down the dock at 79th Street and into our kayaks for free thanks to the volunteers and private donations to the Downtown Boathouse.

It was so cool to spend a few minutes on the water, surrounded by skyscrapers. It was beautiful!



Another great experience to check off "The List."

All Queens, All the Time

Yesterday was an adventure into Queens to scratch two things off "The List" - a dance at P.S. 1's "Warm Up" and running barefoot in the cool sand at the Water Taxi Beach. Done and done!

Despite a slow start and dismal weather all day, we eventually got out the door around 5pm and had a great time!

Wake up, B!



There were scattered showers all day, but the view from Long Island City, Queens into Manhattan never gets dull - even with the gray clouds.



P.S. 1's "The Warm Up" - rated NYC's "Best Club" in 2005 by Time Out New York.





Brian showing off his dance skills





The closest thing some of us get to "grass" in the city



After that, it was off to the Water Taxi Beach for some fun in the sand. It was a bit of a walk from P.S. 1, but it was fun to explore a new neighborhood (Long Island City), and after about an hour, the kids from P.S. 1 all started making their way over there, too! I guess we're kind of trend setters. ;-)



I'm not sure exactly what they were going for with the psychedelic palm tree...



Just like taking pictures of Christmas trees and sunsets, these pictures don't do justice to the incredible view that we had of the New York City skyline lit up last night.

Happy 4th!

Last night, Heather, Brian's friend from high school, Tim, and his girlfriend, Ekko, joined us for the Macy's fireworks display down at the South Street Seaport.





But first - a McDonald's vanilla milkshake with a bit of Kahlua to get the night started (Check that off "The List!").






Delicious!



Every entrance to the water was barricaded, so we kept walking south along the water until we finally found a break in the barricades and got some of the best seats in the house! It was the closest I've ever been to the Macy's fireworks in the 5 years that I've lived here. Awesome!





A little drizzly on the way home, but after a long walk from the seaport up to the Park Place subway station, and a stalled subway car between 42nd and 72nd Street with NO AIR CONDITIONING for about 20 minutes, we finally made it home!



But not before we were reminded that on today, of all days, remember to wear your red, white and blue!

Times Square Redux

It was almost 2 1/2 years ago that I first went to Times Square with Brian. We had met about a week earlier, and Brian invited some of his friends out to see "V for Vendetta" at one of the Times Square theaters. Did I want to see that movie? No. Did I like science fiction? No. But did I want to hang out with this handsome man? Heck yes!



We walked to Times Square after the show, and it was. totally. quiet. He showed us the "sound sculpture" - a well-kept public art display under the intersection of 46th Street and Broadway. It was so unusual to be in the middle of Times Square - with no one there! I remember being so impressed with the curiousity and sense of adventure that Brian had. He had just moved to the city - and he was already showing me (someone who had lived here for 3 years at that time) things I had never heard of!



A little too tall, B! (Wish I had the same problem!)



We went back to Times Square the other night to get some Cold Stone Creamery ice cream - and remember one of our first dates together...

Manhattanhenge....almost

Last night, around 8:15pm, as Heather and I were walking home from dinner at Houston's on the east side, we thought we had lucked out and walked right into New York's biannual "Manhattanhenge."



It's one of only two times each year when the sun sets in exact alignment with Manhattan's street grid, lighting up every cross-street for the last fifteen minutes of the day.

New York is so cool.

Well, according to Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson (People Magazine's "Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive" and resident genius at the Hayden Planetarium) this year's Manhattanhenge is scheduled for:

Friday, July 11 - 8:24pm EDT
Saturday, July 12 - 8:25pm EDT

Stay tuned!

2 Months After Cyclone Nargis Hit Myanmar...

It wasn't that long ago that I was working in Bangkok, helping to coordinate World Vision's media response. But oh how quickly we forget the past and move forward, don't we?

I have to take a minute to give a shout-out to my colleauges who are still working in Thailand and Myanmar to help the people there recover from Cyclone Nargis.

Continue to pray for the many, many children who lost their homes and their families in the aftermath of the storm. CNN's Top 10 Most Viewed Stories today includes a World Vision article about a little girl named Nway who lost both of her parents in the floodwaters.

Remember them...

Does the "Tri-State Area" Count as New York?

I know the answer is a resounding "NO!" to all of my New Yorker-4-eva friends. Sorry to you Jersey Girls, Connecticut Country Clubbers, and Long Island Lifers. But it's just not the same.

However - I am willing to make a concession once, just once, to travel out of the great city they call New York for this hamburger:

I read a blog post on one of my favorite foodie blogs, Serious Eats, today, and I've been salivating for a burger sandwich all morning! No ketchup, no french fries, no bun. Just good, ol' fashioned meat on toasted white bread.

It's going on "The List" right now.